Obesity and diet contents of protein and fat are associated with underreport of energy at pregnancy / Obesidade e conteúdo de proteína e gordura na dieta estão associados ao sub-relato do consumo energético na gravidez

Abstract Objectives: to evaluate the association of pre-pregnancy and current body mass index and the density of dietary macronutrients on underreporting of energy intake at pregnancy. Methods: cross-sectional analysis of 327 postpartum women from the city of Mesquita, in Rio de Janeiro. A food frequency questionnaire was administered at maternity ward having the last six months of the pregnancy as the time frame. Energy balance was considered as the outcome, and it was calculated as the division of energy intake by basal metabolic rate (underreport <1.35). Multivariate logistic regression was applied to test the associations between body mass index (pre-gestational and postpartum) on energy balance (underreport or not). Dietary density of protein (4th quartile), carbohydrate (1st quartile) and fat intake (1st quartile) were tested. Results: mean energy intake was 2,894 kcal and near of 25% of the women were considered as underreported during pregnancy. Obese women had higher chance (OR=1.90; CI95%=1.09-3.33) of being underreported at pregnancy. Underreported women presented greater chance of report dietary intake with higher contents of protein (OR=2.37; CI95%=1.37-4.09) and lower density of fat (OR= .81; CI95%=1.04-3.15). Conclusion: underreported pregnant women had higher chance of report great and lower amounts of protein and fat dietary densities.

Resumo Objetivos: avaliar a associação entre o índice de massa corporal pré-gestacional e pós-parto e a densidade de macronutrientes da dieta com o sub-relato de energia da dieta na gestação. Métodos: análise transversal com 327 puérperas da cidade de Mesquita, no Rio de Janeiro. Aplicou-se o questionário de frequência alimentar na primeira semana após o parto tendo como base o consumo dos dois últimos trimestres gestacionais. O balanço energético foi calculado a partir da divisão da ingestão de energia pela taxa metabólica basal (sub-relato<1,35). Adotou-se a regressão logística multivariada para analisar as associações entre os índices de massa corporal e a densidade dos macronutrientes da dieta (proteína, carboidratos e lipídios) com o balanço energético (sub-relato ou não). Resultados: a ingestão média de energia foi de 2.894 kcal e 25% das mulheres foram classificadas com sub-relato. Mulheres obesas no pós-parto tiveram maiores chances (OR=1,90; IC95%=1,09-3,33) de sub-relato de energia na gravidez e gestantes com balanço energético <1,35 apresentaram dieta com maior densidade de proteína (OR=2,37; IC95%=1,37-4,09) e menor densidade de gordura (OR=1,81; IC95%=1,04-3,15). Conclusão: a obesidade no pós-parto foi associada ao sub-relato de energia na gravidez e o balanço energético associou-se a densidade dos macronutrientes da dieta

Association between Pre-Pregnancy BMI and Inflammatory Profile Trajectories during Pregnancy and Postpartum in Brazilian Women with Periodontitis: The IMPROVE Trial.

This study aimed to explore the association between pre-pregnancy BMI and longitudinal changes in inflammatory markers from the second trimester of pregnancy to 6-8 weeks postpartum in women with periodontitis. This is a secondary exploratory analysis of 68 women who took part in a feasibility clinical trial in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Inflammatory markers included C-reactive protein (CRP), interleukin-6 (IL-6), interleukin-10 (IL-10), and matrix metalloproteinase-9 (MMP-9) blood concentrations at 11-22 (T0) and 30-36 gestational weeks (T1), and 6-8 weeks postpartum (T3). Longitudinal generalised linear mixed-effects models were used to identify possible associations between pre-pregnancy BMI and changes in concentrations of inflammatory markers. Pre-pregnancy excess weight (ß = 4.39; 95% CI, 2.12-6.65) was significantly associated with increased CRP levels from pregnancy to postpartum. There were no significant associations between pre-pregnancy BMI and longitudinal changes in IL-6, IL-10 and MMP-9. Our findings provide evidence that a higher pre-pregnancy BMI may lead to increases in CRP levels during pregnancy in women with periodontitis, irrespective of the severity of clinical periodontal parameters. Further studies need to investigate if predictors of changes in inflammatory markers can be used as prognostic factors for gestational outcomes.

Exploratory Efficacy of Calcium-Vitamin D Milk Fortification and Periodontal Therapy on Maternal Oral Health and Metabolic and Inflammatory Profile.

In this 2 × 2 factorial, outcome-assessor blinded, feasibility randomised trial we explored the effect of a non-pharmaceutical multi-component intervention on periodontal health and metabolic and inflammatory profiles among pregnant women with periodontitis receiving prenatal care in a Brazilian public health centre. 69 pregnant women (gestational age ≤20 weeks, T0) were randomly allocated into four groups: (1) fortified sachet (vitamin D and calcium) and powdered milk plus periodontal therapy during pregnancy (early PT) (n = 17); (2) placebo sachet and powdered milk plus early PT (n = 15); (3) fortified sachet and powdered milk plus late PT (after delivery) (n = 19); (4) placebo sachet and powdered milk plus late PT (n = 18). Third trimester (T1) and 6-8 weeks postpartum (T2) exploratory outcomes included periodontal health (% sites with bleeding on probing (BOP)), glucose, insulin, C-Reactive Protein, serum calcium and vitamin D. The mean BOP was significantly reduced in the early PT groups, while BOP worsened in the late PT groups. No significant effect of fortification on BOP was observed. Changes in glucose levels and variation on birthweight did not differ among groups This feasibility trial provides preliminary evidence for estimating the minimum clinically important differences for selected maternal outcomes. A large-scale trial to evaluate the interventions' clinical benefits and cost-effectiveness is warranted.

Vitamin D during pregnancy and its association with birth outcomes: a Brazilian cohort study.

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES: Evidence is lacking on how variation in vitamin D concentrations during gestation affects perinatal outcomes. Therefore, we evaluated the association between vitamin D serum concentrations during pregnancy and neonatal outcomes. METHODS: A prospective cohort of 180 healthy Brazilian pregnant women was followed and plasma 25-hydroxyvitamin [25(OH)D, nmol/L] was measured at 5-13 (baseline), 20-26 and 30-36 gestational weeks. Birth weight (BW), birth length (BL), BW z-scores, BL z-scores, first minute Apgar, small for gestational age (SGA), large for gestational age (LGA) and preterm birth were the outcomes. Multiple linear and Poisson regression models were estimated. Best linear unbiased prediction of random coefficients model was used to determine the association between the mean rate of change in vitamin D during pregnancy concentrations and neonatal outcomes. RESULTS: Mean (SD) BW was 3300 (600) g, BW z-score 0.34 (1.11), BL 49.3 (3.3) cm, BL z-score 0.44 (1.5), and first minute Apgar score 8.2 (1.4). Prevalence of SGA, LGA and preterm birth were 6%, 18% and 13%, respectively. 25(OH)D was directly associated with the risk of preterm birth at all trimesters. Incidence-rate ratios were 1.02, 1.05 and 1.04 for the 1st, 2nd and 3rd trimester, respectively. Mean rate of change during pregnancy in 25(OH)D was directly associated with BW z-score (ß: 0.36, 95% CI 0.07; 0.65), LGA risk (IRR: 1.97, 95% CI 1.07; 3.63) and preterm birth (IRR: 7.35, 95% CI 2.99; 18.07). CONCLUSIONS: Mean 25(OH)D rate of change during pregnancy was directly associated with BW z-scores, and increased LGA and preterm birth risk.

Correction to: Calcium and vitamin D supplementation and/or periodontal therapy in the treatment of periodontitis among Brazilian pregnant women: protocol of a feasibility randomised controlled trial (the IMPROVE trial).

An amendment to this paper has been published and can be accessed via the original article.

Vitamin D and Calcium Milk Fortification in Pregnant Women with Periodontitis: A Feasibility Trial.

This study aims to assess the acceptability, adherence, and retention of a feasibility trial on milk fortification with calcium and vitamin D (Ca+VitD) and periodontal therapy (PT) among low income Brazilian pregnant women with periodontitis (IMPROVE trial). This 2 × 2 factorial feasibility trial used a mixed-methods evaluation. In total, 69 pregnant women were randomly allocated to four groups: 1. fortified sachet with Ca+VitD and milk plus early PT (throughout gestation); 2. placebo and milk plus early PT; 3. fortified sachet with Ca+VitD and milk plus late PT after childbirth; 4. placebo and milk plus late PT. Data were collected via questionnaires, field notes, participant flow logs, treatment diary, and focal group discussions. Quantitative and qualitative data were analysed using appropriate descriptive statistics and content analysis, respectively. Eligibility rate (12%) was below the target of 15%, but participation (76.1%) and recruitment rate (2 women/week) exceeded the targets. Retention rate (78.6%) was slightly below the target (80%). Adherence to the PT was significantly higher in the early treatment groups (98.8%) compared to the late treatment groups (29%). All women accepted the random allocation, and baseline groups were balanced. There was no report of adverse events. This multi-component intervention is acceptable, well-tolerated, and feasible among low-risk pregnant women in Brazil.

Recruitment of low-income pregnant women into a dietary and dental care intervention: lessons from a feasibility trial.

BACKGROUND: There are difficulties in carrying out research in low-income urban communities, but the methodological challenges and suggestions on how to deal with them are often undocumented. The aims of this study are to describe the challenges of recruiting and enrolling low-income pregnant women with periodontitis to a clinical trial on vitamin D/calcium milk fortification and periodontal therapy and also to describe the patient-, study protocol- and setting-related factors related to women's ineligibility and refusal to participate in the study. METHODS: A mixed-method sequential exploratory design was applied. Qualitative and quantitative data on recruitment to a 2 × 2 factorial feasibility clinical trial were used. Eighteen women attending the health centre in a low-income area in Duque de Caxias (Rio de Janeiro, Brazil) took part in focus group discussions, and the data were thematically analysed. Quantitative data were analysed using appropriate descriptive statistics, including absolute and relative frequencies. RESULTS: Of all referrals (767), 548 (78.5%) did not meet the initial eligibility criteria. The main reason for exclusion (58%) was advanced gestational age (> 20 weeks) at first prenatal appointment. In the periodontal examination (dental screen), the main reason for exclusion was the presence of extensive caries (64 out of 127 exclusions). Non-participation of those eligible after the periodontal examination was approximately 24% (22 out 92 eligible women) and predominantly associated with patient-related barriers (e.g. transportation barriers, family obligations, patients being unresponsive to phone calls and disconnected telephones). The study recruited 70 women with periodontitis in 53 weeks and did not reach the benchmark of 120 women in 36 weeks (58.3% of the original target). Recruitment was severely hindered by health centre closures due to general strikes. The recruitment yields were 9.1% (70/767) of all women contacted at first prenatal visit and 76.1% (70/92) of those screened eligible and enrolled in the trial. Women did not report concerns regarding random allocation and considered fortified milk as a healthful and safe food for pregnant women. Some women reported that financial constraints (e.g. transportation costs) could hinder participation in the study. CONCLUSION: Engagement between the research team and health centre staff (e.g. nurses) facilitated referral and recruitment, yet some pregnant women failed to participate in the study largely due to significant patient-related sociodemographic barriers and setting-related factors. Our data illustrate the complexity of overcoming recruitment and enrolment challenges for clinical trials in resource-limited settings. TRIAL REGISTRATION: ClinicalTrials.gov, NCT03148483. Registered on 11 May 2017.

Prepregnancy Dietary Patterns and Their Association with Perinatal Outcomes: A Prospective Cohort Study.

BACKGROUND: Dietary intake may be associated with neonatal outcomes, yet little is known about the influence of prepregnancy dietary pattern (DP). OBJECTIVES: To evaluate the association between prepregnancy DPs and perinatal outcomes. DESIGN: Prospective cohort study during pregnancy (baseline between 5 and 13 gestational week and three follow-up visits: 20 to 26 gestational weeks, 30 to 36 gestational weeks, and 30 to 40 days postpartum, respectively). Diet was assessed in the first trimester using a food frequency questionnaire and having prepregnancy as the time frame. PARTICIPANTS/SETTING: Two hundred fifty-three pregnant women met the following eligibility criteria (20 to 40 years of age, 5 to 13 weeks of gestation at baseline, free of chronic [except obesity] or infectious diseases, and with a singleton pregnancy). The final sample was composed of 193 pregnant women attending a public health care center in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, from 2009 to 2012. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Type of delivery, large for gestational age (LGA), birth length (BL)>90th percentile, Apgar score<7 at 1 minute, and preterm birth. STATISTICAL ANALYSES: Reduced rank regression was used to identify prepregnancy DPs that explain the following response variables: fiber density (daily dietary fiber intake in grams, divided by total daily energy intake in kilocalories), dietary energy density, and percent energy from saturated fat. Statistical analyses included multiple logistic regression models. The following covariates were defined as confounders based on a unique Direct Acyclic Graph for each outcome: maternal age, current smoker, alcohol consumption, years of education, and first-trimester leisure physical activity. RESULTS: The prevalence of normal delivery was 56.7%. LGA occurred in 16%, BL>90th percentile in 24.3%, Apgar score<7 at 1 minute in 14.2%, and preterm birth in 9.5% of the study population. Three DPs were identified: "fast food and candies" was associated with higher odds of LGA (odds ratio [OR]=4.38, 95% CI: 1.32 to 14.48) and BL>90th percentile (OR=4.81, 95% CI: 1.77 to 13.07); "beans, bread, and fat" was inversely associated with Apgar score<7 at 1 minute (OR=0.14, 95% CI: 0.03 to 0.70); and "vegetables and dairy" was inversely associated with preterm birth (OR=0.24, 95% CI: 0.06 to 0.97). There was no association between adherence to DPs and type of delivery. CONCLUSIONS: Higher adherence to fast food and candies prepregnancy DP increased the odds of LGA birth, while a higher adherence to vegetables and dairy DP decreased the odds of preterm birth.

Calcium and vitamin D supplementation and/or periodontal therapy in the treatment of periodontitis among Brazilian pregnant women: protocol of a feasibility randomised controlled trial (the IMPROVE trial).

BACKGROUND: Periodontitis is a common oral inflammation, which is a risk factor for adverse pregnancy outcomes. Intakes of vitamin D and calcium are inversely associated with occurrence and progression of periodontitis. This study aims to assess the feasibility of a multi-component intervention, including provision of milk powder supplemented with calcium and vitamin D and periodontal therapy (PT), for improving maternal periodontal health and metabolic and inflammatory profiles of low-income Brazilian pregnant women with periodontitis. METHODS: The IMPROVE trial is a feasibility randomised controlled trial (RCT) with a 2 × 2 factorial design with a parallel process evaluation. Pregnant women with periodontitis, aged 18-40 years and with < 20 gestational weeks (n = 120) were recruited and randomly allocated into four groups: (1) fortified sachet (vitamin D and calcium) and powdered milk plus PT during pregnancy, (2) placebo sachet and powdered milk plus PT during pregnancy, (3) fortified sachet (vitamin D and calcium) and powdered milk plus PT after delivery and (4) placebo sachet and powdered milk plus PT after delivery. Dentists and participants are blinded to fortification. Acceptability of study design, recruitment strategy, random allocation, data collection procedures, recruitment rate, adherence and attrition rate will be evaluated. Data on serum levels of vitamin D, calcium and inflammatory biomarkers; clinical periodontal measurements; anthropometric measurements; and socio-demographic questionnaires are collected at baseline, third trimester and 6-8 weeks postpartum. Qualitative data are collected using focus group, for analysis of favourable factors and barriers related to study adherence. DISCUSSION: Oral health and mineral/vitamin supplementation are much overlooked in the public prenatal assistance in Brazil and of scarcity of clinical trials addressing these issues in low and middle-income countries,. To fill this gap the present study was designed to assess the feasibility of a RCT on acceptability of a multi-component intervention combining conventional periodontal treatment and consumption of milk fortified with calcium-vitamin D for improving periodontal conditions and maternal metabolic and inflammation status, among Brazilian low-income pregnant women with periodontitis. Thus, we hope that this relatively low-cost and safe multicomponent intervention can help reduce inflammation, improve maternal periodontal health and metabolic profile and consequently prevent negative gestational outcomes. TRIAL REGISTRATION: NCT, NCT03148483. Registered on May 11, 2017.

Longitudinal association of 25-hydroxyvitamin D with adipokines and markers of glucose metabolism among Brazilian pregnant women.

This study aimed to evaluate the longitudinal association of vitamin D status with glycaemia, insulin, homoeostatic model assessment of insulin resistance, adiponectin and leptin. A prospective cohort with 181 healthy, pregnant Brazilian women was followed at the 5th-13th, 20th-26th and 30th-36th gestational weeks. In this cohort, 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25(OH)D) plasma concentrations were analysed using liquid chromatography-tandem MS. Vitamin D status was categorised as sufficient or insufficient using the Endocrine Society Practice Guidelines (≥75/<75 nmol/l) and the Institute of Medicine (≥50/<50 nmol/l) thresholds. Linear mixed-effect regression models were employed to evaluate the association between vitamin D status and each outcome, considering interaction terms between vitamin D status and gestational age (P<0·1). At baseline, 70·7 % of pregnant women had 25(OH)D levels <75 nmol/l and 16 % had levels <50 nmol/l. Women with sufficient vitamin D status at baseline, using both thresholds, presented lower glycaemia than those with insufficient 25(OH)D. Pregnant women with 25(OH)D concentrations <75 nmol/l showed lower insulin (ß=-0·12; 95 % CI -0·251, 0·009; P=0·069) and adiponectin (ß=-0·070; 95 % CI -0·150, 0·010; P=0·085) concentrations throughout pregnancy than those with 25(OH)D levels ≥75 nmol/l. Pregnant women with 25(OH)D <50 nmol/l at baseline presented significantly higher leptin concentrations than those with 25(OH)D levels ≥50 nmol/l (ß=-0·253; 95 % CI -0·044, 0·550; P=0·095). The baseline status of vitamin D influences the biomarkers involved in glucose metabolism. Vitamin D-sufficient women at baseline had higher increases in insulin and adiponectin changes throughout gestation than those who were insufficient.

Dietary patterns and their association with adiponectin and leptin concentrations throughout pregnancy: a prospective cohort.

The aim of this study was to evaluate the association of dietary patterns (DP) with maternal adiposity indicators, leptin, adiponectin and insulin concentrations during pregnancy. A prospective cohort of pregnant women followed up at the 5th-13th, 20th -26th and 30th-36th gestational weeks and 30-40 d postpartum was conducted in Rio de Janeiro. A FFQ was administered in the third trimester (30th-36th gestational weeks). The reduced rank regression procedure was used to identify DP that explain response variables (dietary fibre and total fat) related to indicators of maternal adiposity (postpartum weight retention and gestational weight gain (GWG) adequacy), and plasma leptin, adiponectin and insulin concentrations. The associations between tertiles of DP and the outcomes were determined using logistic regression or longitudinal linear mixed-effect regression models. The mean daily energy intake during pregnancy was 10 104 (sd 3234) kJ (2415 (sd 773) kcal), and GWG was 11·9 (sd 4·2) kg. In all, 40 % of women presented pre-gestational overweight/obesity. Excessive GWG occurred in 34·7 % of pregnant women and 56·6 % were overweight/obese at postpartum. The 'common-Brazilian' DP (characterised by higher intake of beans, rice and lower intake of fast food/snacks, candies/table sugar and processed meats/bacon) was positively associated with adiponectin (ß=1·07; 95 % CI 0·17, 1·98). The 'Western' DP (characterised by higher intake of fast food/snacks and processed meat/bacon and lower intake of noodles/pasta/roots/tubers and sodas) was negatively associated with adiponectin (ß=-1·11; 95 % CI -2·00, -0·22) and positively associated with leptin concentrations (ß=64·9; 95 % CI 22·8, 107·0) throughout pregnancy. It may be suggested that the 'common-Brazilian' is a healthy DP and beneficial for serum concentrations of adiponectin and leptin.

Early pregnancy body mass index modifies the association of pre-pregnancy dietary patterns with serum polyunsaturated fatty acid concentrations throughout pregnancy in Brazilian women.

Dietary patterns (DPs) have been described as an important factor that may influence polyunsaturated fatty acid (PUFA) concentrations and body mass index (BMI) during pregnancy. We aim to evaluate the association between pre-pregnancy DPs and serum PUFA percentages throughout pregnancy considering early pregnancy BMI as a possible effect modifier. A prospective cohort of 154 pregnant women was followed (5th-13th, 20th-26th, and 30th-36th gestational weeks). Serum PUFA concentrations (total n-3 and total n-6, eicosapentaenoic + docosahexaenoic acids) were measured in each trimester and expressed as percentages. The n-6/n-3 ratio was calculated. Longitudinal linear mixed-effects models including interaction terms between DPs and early pregnancy BMI were employed. Serum PUFA percentages declined, whereas the n-6/n-3 ratio, monounsaturated, and saturated percentages increased throughout pregnancy for all BMI categories. Three pre-pregnancy DPs were identified by principal component analysis (common Brazilian, healthy, and processed). Overweight women with higher adherence to the common-Brazilian and to the healthy DPs presented reduced n-3 PUFA percentage and increased n-6 percentages and n-6/n-3 ratio compared to under or normal weight women. Obese women with higher adherence to the processed DP presented a more pronounced decrease of total n-3 percentage compared to under or normal weight women. Early pregnancy BMI modified the effect of pre-pregnancy DPs on PUFA profile throughout gestation. Higher adherence to the healthy pattern was associated with increased n-3 percentage, except for overweight women. Only for processed DP was the behaviour of PUFA the same for all BMI categories, showing a worse evolution profile, that is, increased n-6 and reduced n-3 fractions.

Dietary intake variations from pre-conception to gestational period according to the degree of industrial processing: A Brazilian cohort.

OBJECTIVE: To estimate food intake changes from pre-conception to gestational period according to the degree of food processing. METHODS: Prospective cohort conducted in a public health care center in Rio de Janeiro with Brazilian pregnant women (n = 189). A food frequency questionnaire was applied at the first (5(th)-13(th)) and third (30(th)-36(th)) gestational trimesters. The food items were classified according to characteristics of food processing in four groups: unprocessed/minimally processed foods; sugar/fat; processed foods and ultra-processed foods. The variation of food intake according to the degree of processing between the pre-conception and gestational period was compared using paired Student's t-test. Linear regression models were performed to estimate the association of mother's characteristics on the variation of food group contribution to the total energy intake between periods. RESULTS: Total energy intake was 2415 (SD = 813) in the pre-conception and 2379 (750) kcal in the gestational period. We excluded women who had implausible total energy intake (<600 and >6000 kcal/day). The contribution of unprocessed/minimally processed food group to total energy intake during pregnancy when compared to the pre-conception period was higher [50.5 (14.1) vs. 48.8 (12.4), p-value = 0.048], while the caloric share of ultra-processed food group was lower [41.3 (14.6) vs. 43.1 (12.5), p-value = 0.032]. We observed a negative association of age (p-value = 0.009) and a positive association of pre-pregnancy BMI (p-value = 0.060) with the variation of ultra-processed food intake. CONCLUSIONS: Ultra-processed food intake decreased, while minimally/unprocessed food intake slightly increased from the pre-conception to gestational period. These results indicate potential for a larger improvement in the women's diet quality and that nutritional counseling interventions in pregnant women are still needed.

Hepatic, renal and inflammatory biomarkers are positively associated with blood pressure changes in healthy pregnant women: a prospective cohort.

This article evaluates the association of hepatic, renal, and inflammatory biomarkers with changes in systolic (SBP) and diastolic (DBP) blood pressure (BP) during healthy pregnancies.A prospective cohort study with 225 healthy pregnant women was conducted in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. SBP and DBP were evaluated throughout pregnancy (5th-13th, 20th-26th, and 30th-36th gestational weeks) and were the outcomes. The following biomarkers were measured at the first trimester and analyzed according to tertiles of the sample distribution and were considered the main independent predictors: alkaline phosphatase (ALP), alanine aminotransferase (ALT), aspartate aminotransferase (AST), uric acid (UA), creatinine (Cr), and C-reactive protein (CRP) concentrations. The statistical analysis included 3 stages of modeling with the longitudinal linear mixed-effects procedures: Model 1 was adjusted for gestational age and quadratic gestational age; Model 2 included interactions between the biomarkers and gestational age; and Model 3 was adjusted for self-reported skin color, education, parity, early-pregnancy body mass index (BMI) (under/normal <25; overweight/obese ≥25 kg/m), smoking habit, and leisure-time physical activity. Additional models were performed for CRP and UA with the inclusion of interaction terms between the biomarkers and BMI.Women classified in the third tertile of the ALP (≥61.1 U/L; ßSBP = 3.474; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.955-5.992; ßDBP = 3.291; 95% CI: 1.098-5.485), ALT (≥14.3 U/L; ßSBP = 2.232; 95% CI: 0.221-4.242; ßDBP = 2.355; 95% CI: 0.721-3.989), and Cr values (≥48.6 µmol/L; ßDBP = 1.927; 95% CI: 0.347-3.508) presented higher BP levels during pregnancy compared to those in the first and second tertiles. Women in the highest tertile of the ALP concentration distribution presented a lower rate of change in SBP and DBP during pregnancy (interaction term with gestational age ßSBP = -0.004; 95% CI: -0.007 to -0.001; P = 0.02; ßDBP = -0.003; 95% CI: -0.006 to -0.001; P = 0.01). Higher UA concentrations were associated with higher SBP levels only in overweight/obese women (ß = 3.878; 95% CI: 0.687-7.068), whereas higher CRP concentrations (≥2.6 mg/L) were associated with higher DBP in under/normal weight women (ß =2.252; 95% CI: 0.267-4.236).ALP, ALT, and Cr concentrations were positively associated with BP levels, whereas ALP was associated with a lower rate of change in BP. The associations of UA and CRP with BP differ according to the early-pregnancy BMI.

Association of Prepregnancy Dietary Patterns and Anxiety Symptoms from Midpregnancy to Early Postpartum in a Prospective Cohort of Brazilian Women.

BACKGROUND: Adherence to unhealthy dietary patterns may alter the risk of mental disorders during pregnancy and the postpartum period. OBJECTIVE: To analyze the association between prepregnancy dietary patterns and prospective variations on anxiety symptoms from midpregnancy to early postpartum. METHODS: A prospective cohort of 207 healthy pregnant women was followed at 5 to 13, 20 to 26, and 30 to 36 gestational weeks, and once at 30 to 45 days postpartum. The State-Trait Anxiety Inventory was used to evaluate anxiety symptoms at the second and third gestational trimesters and during the postpartum period. Dietary intake was assessed using a food frequency questionnaire administered during the first trimester of pregnancy that referred to the 6 months before pregnancy. Principal components analysis was used to identify dietary patterns and three prepregnancy dietary patterns were identified: common-Brazilian, healthy, and processed. Three longitudinal mixed-effect models were estimated to verify the association between dietary patterns and anxiety symptoms, adjusted for confounding variables. RESULTS: The mean anxiety symptom scores were 40.4, 40.5, and 37.2 for the second trimester, third trimester, and postpartum, respectively. The rate of variation of the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory score was 0.535 (95% CI -0.035 to 1.107; P=0.066) and -0.010 (95% CI -0.018 to -0.002; P=0.019) when accounting for gestational age and quadratic gestational age, respectively. The common-Brazilian pattern, comprised mainly of rice and beans (ß=-1.200, 95% CI -2.220 to -0.181; P=0.021), and the healthy pattern comprised mostly of vegetables, fruits, fish, and tea (ß=-1.290, 95% CI -2.438 to -0.134; P=0.029), were negatively associated with prospective changes in anxiety symptoms. CONCLUSIONS: High adherence to the common-Brazilian or healthy patterns was negatively associated with higher anxiety symptom scores from mid-pregnancy to early postpartum in this group of Brazilian women.

Plasma adiponectin is inversely associated with antenatal anxiety: Results from a Brazilian cohort.

Antenatal anxiety may increase the risk of undesirable birth outcomes. Studies have demonstrated an association between adiponectin and anxiety, but this issue has not been investigated during pregnancy. This study aimed to evaluate the association between plasma adiponectin, measured throughout gestation, and the occurrence of anxiety at late pregnancy (30-36th weeks). A prospective cohort was investigated in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Healthy pregnant women, aged 20-40 years, were evaluated between gestational weeks 5-13, 22-26 and 30-36. State anxiety was measured using a validated version of the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory, and women were categorized as high (score≥50, n=30) or low anxiety (score<50, n=129). Plasma samples for all trimesters were analyzed using commercial ELISA kits to determine adiponectin concentrations (U/mL). Statistical analysis involved student's t-tests, chi-square, Pearson correlation, multiple logistic regression and linear mixed effects (LME) regression to model longitudinal trends of adiponectin, stratified for anxiety categories. Women with higher anxiety scores had lower mean concentrations of 3rd trimester adiponectin compared with those with lower scores (7.9; 95% CI: 7.0-8.9 vs. 9.9; 95% CI: 9.1-10.7). Women with 3rd trimester adiponectin values within the third tertile (10.47-26.57U/mL) were less likely to have high antenatal anxiety (adjusted OR=0.30; 95% CI: 0.09-0.98) compared with those within the first tertile (2.25-7.08U/mL). Unlike women with low levels of anxiety, those with high levels had a significant decrease of plasma adiponectin throughout pregnancy (ß=-0.07; 95% CI: -0.13-[-0.01] vs. ß=-0.01; 95% CI: -0.05 to 0.03). Multiple LME model indicated higher adiponectin throughout pregnancy for women with low anxiety (ß=-1.57; 95% CI: -2.78-[-0.37]). In conclusion, plasma adiponectin throughout pregnancy was inversely associated with antenatal anxiety.